Improvement in reeds for organs and melodeons



anni @da AUGUSTUSNEWELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 112,483, dated-March 7, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN REEDS FOR ORGANS AND MELODEONS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AUGUSTUS NEWELL, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and improved Reed for Organs and Melodeons; and I do hereby declare that Vthe following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled inthe artto make and use the same, reference heilig had to the accompanying drawing vforming part of this specification.

Figure 1 represents al plan or top 'view of my improved reed for organs and melodeons.

AFigure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same, x rt, iig. 1, being the section line.

Figure 3 is an edge view, partiy in section, of the same, showing it previous to completion.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to so construct the tongue-butts or shanks of musical reeds that the saine cannot, during the vibratory motion of the tongues, be raised from their seats.

The principle of ruy invention consists in imparting a downward spring pressure to the edges of the tong nebutt, to take up the upward vibration of the tongue itself, yielding to it as it travels up, but following it as fast as it moves down.

i/Vhenever straight tongues which are riveted or otherwise secured upon true block-faces are vibrated, they will be lifted from said block-t'zurzesl right at the verges of the slots in which they play. The least displacement of the ltongues at their butt ends will produce a disharmouions sound, which will materially reduce the vaille ofthe instrument of which they forni apart.

To overcome this difficulty-the bending of the.

tongues near their shoulders or butt ends has been proposed, so that the tongue can only play at the bends, and not influence the position of their butts. But this bending throws each tongue into the slot,

and'requires it to be bent back during tuning, making it liable to settle out of true, besides interfering with the tone and weakening the tongue.

In order to obtain the stated object without exposing my'reed tothe objections justly raised against other means toward the same end, I change the coustruction of the butt eud,which. is to be held steady,

and do not `interfere in the least with the position,

shape, or operation of the tongue proper.

My invention consists in stretching or enlarging by mechanical-means the upper surface of the tongue, imparting thereby a degree of spring to the butt end which will tend to retain the same at all times in proper contact with the block-face.

`A in thedrawing represents the tongue of a reed.

B is the plate or block, to which it is secured by a rivet or other fastening device, a.

The butt end or shank b of the tongue is stamped on its upper face to receive a vseries of indentures, grooves, or depressions, c c, of suitable shape. By such stamping the upper surface of said butt end is so much stretched as to spring and hold its lower facesnugly upon the block-face during all vibrations ofthe tongue.

Preparatory to' stamping, the butt end may be slightly crowned or made convex, as is shown, somewhat exaggerated, in iig. 3. I,

Having thus described niyinvention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent#- The tongue A of a inelodeon-reed, having its shank b grooved on the upper face, to give elasticity thereto and enable it to spring closely to its seat, when cornbined with the rivet and block, as set forth.

e AUGUSTUS NEWELL.

Witnesses B. L. PnAsE, A EDWIN B. Pense. 

